Amma

We went to Amma thinking it would be a jewel we can visit on a regular basis. We ordered some okra and chicken tikka masala with naan and basmati rice. The okra came in the style of shoe string fries and tasted like grass. Most Indian restaurants have chicken tikka masala as their signature dish, however, Amma's tasted like the chicken was raw and had a foul smell to it.

We spoke to the Manager who stared at us and made absolutely no attempt to bring an alternate dish or apologize for the food.

We strongly advise to stay away from this unpleasant restaurant with no concept of customer service. There are many many good Indian restaurants in the city to don't waste your money at Amma. They're also quite pricey and not at all worth it!

Pros: None

Cons: Bad Food Quality with No Taste and Worse Service to Indians

Posted 08/26/09

I've never been to amma, as a matter of fact, I live in Minneapolis and am tempted to visit it on my next visit to NYC, but from my observations and what looks like a trend in all of the reviews I've read, it looks as if though indians are not the target market; hence indians are treated rudely, and other bad experiences. I notice this every time I see an indian sounding name, email address, or even a clear statement that reads that "I'm an indian." (Reverse racism maybe?)

If this is the case then "fusion indian" amma is trying its level best to attract non-indian patrons and get them to accept their types of "indian foods."

After all whoever heard of the crazy dishes in authentic indian foods that use exotic fruits in in an entree without the heat.

How many indian homes make a "Kachumber" (salad) utilizing apples and pears? We even like our salads hot as hell!

Anyway, you indians know what I'm talking about, unfortunately for the non-indians you are being deceived to believe that us indians concoct such dishes in our homes or restaurants in India and call them " authentic indian food." There is no such thing. Either it is indian or it is not.

At best, this amma seems to portray itself as an upscale european/american restaurant with a flair by adding indian spices. I wouldn't call that very "authentic Indian." Would you agree?

Pros: Non-Indians think this is authentic

Cons: Indians not treated very well

Posted 03/31/09

We made a reservation at Amma during Restaurant Week. That said, we knew going into it not to have high expectations....boy, were we blown away by not only the food but the stellar, attentive service!

We started with the Tomato Rasam and Mughlai Chicken Shorba soups. The tomato soup had a wonderful afterburn and a terrific layering of flavors. The chicken soup was good, but lacked any real flavor other than chicken.

We chose the Cochin Crab Cakes (chef spices and ginger infused golden crusted patties) and Kesari Malai Tikka (chicken breast in saffron yogurt marination) appetizers and both were just wonderful. The crab cakes were light and packed with crab flavor and the malai chicken had a nice delicate flavor.

For our main course, we chose Stuffed Chicken Breast (garam masala, paneer onion tomato sauce) and Tandoori Lamb Chops (ginger garlic yogurt marination); both were served with naan, raita, Manchurian cauliflower and jackfruit biryani. The raita was fantastic! I really enjoyed the subtle spicing of the chicken and while I did not prefer the lamb (I just don't really like the flavor of some of the gamier meats) my beau declared it delicious. The other standout was the Manchurian cauliflower...we are always trying to come up with new and interesting preparations for cauliflower and this one was amazing!

We finished our meal with a trio of Kulfi and the mango cheesecake. I am a self-declared cheesecake connoisseur and the mango cheesecake was divine. The Kulfis were good as well, there was a trio of original (pistachio) flavor, strawberry and mango. While the fruit flavors were nice, I really loved the pistachio best.

We paired our meal with the optional wine flight which included a white, a red and a dessert wine. The staff was unfailingly gracious and attentive, and we truly felt as though we were their top priority. I would highly recommend Amma for great upscale Indian food.

Posted 02/06/09

went there today for lunch for restaurant week and the food was seriously AMAZING! I don't usually write reviews but the food was just that good. Me and the bf decided to take full advantage of restaurant week and this was the 3rd restaurant we tried and it was undoubtedly the best. Whoever posted saying that the food wasn't outstanding must've ordered the wrong thing or caught them on an off day b/c the food was soo flavorful...not to mention they didn't skimp on the portions like most restaurants do for restaurant week. Everything from the soup to the dessert was wonderful and its a steal at 24.07 for 4 course meal. If you're going to try any restaurant for restaurant week--go here!! btw, you must try the chili shrimp appetizer, sea bass main course, and chicken soup! sooo goood

Pros: amazing food, nice decor & ambience, prompt & friendly service

Cons: noneee!

Posted 01/26/09

the food is awesome. the wine service is very attentive. the way the wine person choose the wine for you feels like he is taking care of you..doesnot feel like he is trying to sell hi wine.. he recommended a very good reserve wine for us. thanks to him..

Pros: restaurant size

Cons: busy place

Posted 01/20/09

yesterday, we 4 friends planned to go to dine at Amma restaurent. place is little small. the food is little different from what other indian restaurent serve. the wine selection and the wine service was above the expectation. above all we had a good time. sometimes when it gets little busy then the service might be little slow however it is a small place, so considering that its worthit to visit atleast once.

Pros: very homely service

Cons: little small place

Posted 11/20/08

Read rave reviews and picked this place for dinner with colleagues. Smallest restaurant I have ever been to. They could not give decent table for a modest party of 6. Service was all talk and no substance. Even talk was gibberish and very hard to understand in loud cramped sitting environment. They had only 1 bottle of the wine of our choice. The next alternatives recommended were twice our original cost. We were told that our wine was not available - and the waiter didn't know what we were drinking - uh?
They tried hard to wrap bad food in fancy package (crow in peacock feather comes to mind). We ordered tasting menu. Lot of quantity, no quality - I felt sick in the restaurant and 2 more courses were yet to arrive.
When the bill arrived, it had standard print - recommended gratuity 18%, but it had 20% applied to it. The quality of food and service were competing very hard with each other to under perform each other. I should have known this to be a trap when I was asked to provide credit card information at the time of reservation - shackles, they wanted to make sure I did not slip out.
To be avoided under all circumstances.

Pros: Hard to come up with

Cons: Small sitting area, crowded, loud, poor service, poor food, high priced

Posted 11/12/08

If your in the mood for good food and lots of spice, check this place out. Although a little pricy, considering everything I was more than satisfied. The service is extremely friendly, and don't be afraid to ask for reccomendations. I had the colossal spiced halibut which was absolutely delicious. Only thing is the place is a little small, and the decorations are a bit cheesy, considering I am Indian and more than qualified to be ridiculing this type of thing. In addition, if you are walking to fast along this street you could possible miss it, b/c there only a small sign and stairs that leaf to a porch where the small sign is located.

Pros: Great Food

Cons: Loud and small

Posted 11/09/08

Amazing food and customer service. My husband and I dined at Amma for my birthday and were very well taken care of by the staff. We were served a house appetizer as well as one that we ordered. I had the Butter Chicken and my husband had the Lamb Chops. Both dishes were outstanding! Even better than the food was the customer service. We never once had to ask for anything, the staff was very observant and could anticipate our every need. They also surprised me with singing happy birthday and giving me a mango cheesecake on the house. I would definately recommend this place! It is a little bit spendy, but well worth it.
-Julie

Pros: great customer service. friendly staff. mouth-watering food

Posted 11/09/08

This place is just bad. I was taken here on a date so I don't know about the pricing, but the food is not very good at all. I'm Indian so I know what good Indian food should taste like and this definitely is not it. Save your time and go elsewhere.

Posted 10/27/08

overhyped overpriced overcrowed
dont understand whats the fuss is about amma?? i went there n had the worst experience. had to wait 45 even we had reservations. i brought a special friend who had to stand as no chair was available. very cramped place. loud noise - i cant say its a fine dining experience as we cudnt even hear each other. we were sitting in the aisle where waiters are walking every minute n their plates n arms almost touch u as there is no room. food is way too expensive n the portions are too small - i have never experienced anything like this. we had tasting menu but didnt enjoy the food at all. other fine indian restaurants have much more flavorful food. i would never be back - they ruined my evening. food has no taste. please take my sincere advice and try some other restaurant. dont waste your money here.

Pros: cant think of one

Cons: overcrowed, very noisy, tiny portions, very pricey

Posted 09/28/07

My boyfriend and I had anniversary dinner reservations. On the day of the dinner, the restaurant called and left us a message informing us that they decided to rent the space out to a private party, but that we could stop by for lunch instead. This was simply tactless and rude, and made us scramble to find a last-minute dinner reservation - not exactly what you want to be doing on your anniversary! There are other amazing Indian restaurants in the city - we've dined at many of them - so we will take our patronage to them instead - as they have always honored our reservations and have treated us with great kindness.

Posted 07/15/07

We have visited this restaurant couple of times now. But our latest visit was totally disappointing to say the least. We had made reservations for Xmas day dinner and we had our 5 yr old with us. We needed a earlier time, so we called and they gave us a 7:00 p.m. table. When we arrived at the restaurant, they didn't have any table for us and the staff behaved very rudely with us as if we were walk-ins. They asked us to come back at 9:30 if we need a table, as if there is no other place in NYC !! And then they offered a table in the aisle with a high chair for 5 year old in the aisle where they carry hot plates almost every minute !! I don't need to eat their food that badly, I guess.

But the whole thing was handled very badly and the manager should have diffused the situation, but she ignored us completely and we left the place. We then went to Diwan and the restaurant was almost empty and we enjoyed our Xmas dinner there. Needless to say, we will never return to Amma.

Pros: unique indian food

Cons: poor service, small place and poorly placed tables

Posted 01/30/07

The food is fantastic. Unlike many Indian restaurants where fusion means - changing the entire flavor of the indian dish - here at Amma they maintain the flavor as it is. If I think back, there wasnt any item that I havent had before, but never in this combination or format. They have done a great job in creating the great combination of different dishes into each of their dishes. The ambiance is great and relaxing. Good setting for a date.
What I did not enjoy is the fact that the tasting menu which covers almost all of their entire menu into one 6 course dinner, cannot be ordered after 930pm. Their explanation was valid that it will take 2 hrs to eat that and since they close around 11pm, they didnt want to rush us through the courses.
Someone wanting to experience indian food has to try the tasting menu, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Make sure you reach there early (around 7pm) and eat slow for 2 to 3 hrs, enjoying each course. If not your going feel like a bubble... all night.

Expensive in comparison to other indian restaurants. A dinner for 2 ended up to be around $130. Tasting menu for 2 with wine will end up to be around $150-$160.
The manager was kinda rude. But the others are gr8.

Pros: Good food and ambiance

Cons: The full course menu is available only before 9pm

Posted 12/09/06

Have ordered dinner for delivery from here and was very satisfied. the chicken curry I had was very flavorful and the rice was fluffy. The lamb, garlic, and vegetable naan were all hot, fresh, and fluffy. The only downside to the meal was that I felt very thirsty shortly after the meal, probably due to the strong spices and all.

Posted 11/07/06

Having heard so much from family and friends in Westchester county. We finally made it to Amma.
The day we made the reservation was a Wine pairing dinner evening It was love at first sight. The food was exellent. The choice of wines were stunning. The staff did a wonderful job in explaing each course with the wine pairing.The place was packed with wine pundits, who seemed to be so regulars at the restaurant. We just love this place

Pros: Food, wine and the staff

Cons: Samll dining area but romantic

Posted 06/15/06

I am Indian, and I have tried many Indian places in NY. I went to Amma after a friend recommended it. The food was absolutely horrible! And their prices are very high - they actually think that they can get away with charging such prices for such terrible food and service! There are much better places in NY with better prices. We actually gave 10% tip (which we have never done despite mediocre food and service), because we felt totally ripped off. In fact, while leaving the place we saw two people looking at the menu, and I couldn't help telling them that the food was horrible.

Pros: Romantic ambience

Cons: Terrible food, Average service

Posted 05/20/06

my first time here was with my gf for our 12 month anniversary.
so i thought why not change it up a bit. Place was loud, not very romantic,
food was 2.5/5 service was 3/5. but still my date was bad

Posted 04/14/06

ok its easy...
cold food
VERY!!! slow service
Price is to high

Posted 03/26/06

I'll keep this short. Amma is nothing special. The two star chefs left quite some time ago to open their own place. I ate here a week ago and found most dishes average at best and too expensive. Will not be back.

Posted 02/24/06

Amma has the worst value for money I have experienced in NYC over the past 2 years.
The food is o.k., but not any better than what you get at a good neighborhood restaurant. But for whatever reason, prices are about twice as high. It cannot be the ambience, because the place is very cramped and some guests have to sit in an aisle. The most annoying thing, though, is the fact that the servers seem to be trained to drive revenue. Nothing against a good sales call, but the tactics at Amma are just too obvious.

Pros: Food solid

Cons: Bad value, Cramped, Service

Posted 02/18/06

The only good part of this place was a candlelight on the table. This has a very cramped setting. The menu is limited. Food quality - particularly, non-veg is bad. Good item was a Bhindi (Okra) item. Spend more than $110 for two and was not satisfied.

Cons: Food, Expensive, Crowded

Posted 02/12/06

Once I found this place, it's the first place I think of when I think of Indian food. It is very well prepared and served tastefully. The mix of dishes is great and our waiter has always made great suggestions. We really felt cared for.

Pros: Taste, Service, Consistent

Posted 12/18/05

We have looked for a long time for a good indian restaurant in NYC. And finally we've found one !! Everything is great - very friendly people, good explanantions to the food, very authentic flavours from various regions. Suggestions were made to compliment our meal which turned out to be one of the best indian meals for a long time. Refreshing to see many Indian families and couples, too, enjoying a night out.
As Londoners we are quite discerning when it comes to food from the Sub-Continent...and Amma more than lived up to our high expectations.

Pros: Food, Atmosphere, Knowledgable

Posted 11/11/05

First off, let me just say that this is the first restaurant i've been to that made me open a citysearch acct just to write a review. we got there an hour later than our reservation on a saturday night and they seated us immediately. my husband has certain food allergies, and they were 100% accomodating even for the tasting menu which is seven courses for $50 - they even substituted dishes for ones that he couldn't have. i'm indian, my husband is an indian-food enthusiast, and we both thought that the food was absolutely amazing, as was the ambiance and the service - so thoughtful! just beware that if you get the tasting menu, you'll be there for a solid 2 hours just eating (but perfect amount of food). can't wait to go back!!

Pros: EVERYTHING!!

Cons: none!!

Posted 11/06/05

The Food was awesome. The decore was very pleasant and the service was great!!

Pros: Inexpensive, Good Food, Great Service

Cons: Seating Limited

Posted 10/06/05

I grew up in Edison, NJ.. so I've had lots of great Indian food. But Amma takes it to a whole new level! The grilled lamb chops and the apricot stuffed lamb fillets are both absolutely AMAZING. At an unbeatable price too. We can't wait to try their tasting menu.

Pros: taste, price

Posted 09/13/05

Amma is a very welcome change to the other Indian restuarants in the city. My wife and I are regulars. Its also one of the few Indian places where we spotted Indian celebraties like sarod master Ustab Amjad Ali Khan!! Would highly recommend it to all.

Pros: service, food

Cons: not great for groups

Posted 07/11/05

The menu is innovative and features more than just the usual dishes and the food is tasty. The staff is a little inexpereinced but makes up for it by being very sweet. I wish they would ay more Indian music...western music takes away from the ambience a bit. They also need a full bar. The tab is a bit expensive for middle of the road Indian dining so beware

Posted 05/02/05

My boyfriend and I each had the tasting menus, which were fantastic. The waitstaff was pleasant, helpful, and attentive. The restaurant is cozy and warm and very clean.

Posted 04/03/05

To be honest, I don't know a lot about Indian food apart from having a general liking of curries and spicy things. We found dining here to be enjoyable - the service was polite and the food was commendable.

Posted 04/02/05

The food was alright but not excellent. A bit pricey for such a tiny restaurant. Everything was average.

Pros: food was alright

Posted 03/12/05

Ok the word Amma means Mom in South India so I thought this would have a nice motherly indian twist with a fushion flare. Well it so happened to turnout to be a total sell out to the "non indian" "non food lover" crowd. Sure it's different from normal indian food but nothing to write to your mom about and very pricey. I wasn't impressed and it wasn't SPICEY???? The quality of the meat was on par with your local grocery store.

Pros: Different, South Indian, Decent Wine List

Cons: , Nothing Special, Bland

Posted 12/09/04

We hadn't had Indian food for awhile and we stumbled onto Amma while walking through our neighborhood. What a find! The place is pretty, very comfortable and the service is first-rate! And, the food? Outstanding! Everything was fresh, very tasty and beautifully presented. Chicken and lamb entrees were wonderful and the rice side (curry, tomato and lemon) was colorful and delicious!

Pros: Great tastes!, Outstanding service!

Posted 10/27/04

I went to Amma a few days ago because a friend recommended it to me. I'm glad that I decided to go. absolutely loved the tasting menu. Not only did I feel satisfide with the amount of food, but the way the food was brought to the table and presented made me and my date feel welcomed...its worth the experience...

I didnt get a chance to order from their traditional dinner menu...but the descriptions of some of the offered dishes wereenticing, and probably just as tasty.

The staff is friendly, and seem to be very experienced...I had a chance to talk to one of the chefs and the owner! ... fantastic people...very charming.

all in all the experience was absolutely amazing...the location is great and the food is simply heavenly... A MUST GO

Pros: look above

Posted 12/06/03

being indian i am very picky about finding good quality food... the menu at amma certainly piqued my curiousity as it is devoid of the typical chicken vindaloo and instead has the more interesting regional variations.. the rice choices were very good as was the lamb, the fish and chicken disappointed as they did not live up to their namesakes.
overall i will be back as amma provides a funkier and definitely more varied version of indian food than the standard cookie cutter indian restaurants

Pros: interesting menu

Cons: arrogant staff

Posted 12/04/03

The food, wine pairings, the attentive service, the charming & self effacing chefs/owners were a surprising treat in the world of Indian restaurants.
The tasting menu was fantastic. "Dynamite" as I had heard on NPR.
Try Amma, it will win you over and make you a new fan of Indian cuisine.

Pros: Food, Chef, Wine Steward

Posted 11/13/03

My husband and I tried the 8-course tasting menu with wine pairing. He did the vegetarian and I did the non-vegetarian. The meal was Indian food that we have never had before: sophisticated, elegant and healthy. It's definitely a romantic date place. Not for kids or groups.

Pros: sophisticated fare, quiet and romantic , cozy

Cons: "too eager" waiters, hard to find entrance

Posted 11/03/03

My meal at Amma has now taken the lead as my all-time favorite culinary event. My friends and I spent 4+ hours partaking of the flavorful tasting menu. Not only was the food mind-numbingly delicious, but the wine parings were perfect! I recommend the seven course tasting menu (there is also a vegetarian counterpart on the menu); it's a great way to get a feel for what this unique restaurant has to offer. Everything from the Bhel Puri and the crispy okra to the lightly decadent mango cheesecake was perfectly timed and just the right amount. Please do try Amma - it is a remarkable restaurant.

Posted 10/27/03

The experience was superb, surprising, unexpected, overwhelming, alas fattening.
Reviews had us expecting miracles, but still, we expected less.
Course after course, the chefs impressed us and kept our interest alive, even as our bellies got fuller.
Wine pairings were inexpensive fine finds.
Service, courteous/supplicant to a fault.
Cheesecake was mucho mango-ey and light, the kalfi with citrus soup was rich, tasty, memorable and Indian from another world.
NY Magazine discovered a winner, a first in what shall be a trend Indian cuisine should follow.
Salute to the chefs. Salute to the menu and pairings of dishes!

Pros: Food, Tasting Menu/Wines, Dessers

Cons: chatchkas, location, music

Posted 10/20/03

Tasting - Passage to India
will try again. large with variety. not tiring/tedious like degusatation menus can be.

Food- fresh, authentic with flair

Sommelier - a pleasant surpise, voide of usual ceremony and fuss. limited, well chosen offering.

Ambience - rich colors & bracelet votives from India

Music- shade better than other Indian rests (read Tamarind/Dawat). more fusion and modern Indian, less religious chants

Chefs (Mather of Dewan & Anglo-Indian cookery teacher/food writer) - talented & articulate

Service- Of the " Old Indian" school, spotting of professionals could add overall.

Pros - unexpected treasure, makings of multi-location restaurant empire (Indian chefs going the way of Ducasse and Nobu??)

Cons: old reviews clutter wall of restaurant. owners ought to find value in discovery. enough advertising! far too classy for that.

Religious sculptures in dining area and bar detract from otherwise contemporary air.

Pros: Look Above, FOOD, Wine

Cons: Look Above, Music, Sculptures

Posted 10/15/03

Thanks to Gael Greene (NY Mag) and Citysearch for leading us to this unexpected Indian treasure.
The tasting menu puts others offered at higher prices to shame.
Pairings of tastes, textures and spices surprise with each course.
Portions are ample but not overwhelming.
Wines paired by sommelier are inexpensive and complimentary.
Chefs are in and out of kitchen sharing their culinary gospel.

Pros: Attentive service, Fresh flavors, Delicious food

Cons: Not enough seats

Posted 10/09/03

I seriously havent been to another Indian restaraunt that can match the quality of service, food, and atmosphere that Amma has. I am a life long fan of this restaraunt and wish it much success.

Pros: great food, authentic food, good variety

Posted 09/26/03

Good place to take a date.

A little pricey for Indian food.

Meat Entree's start at about $20
Veggie Entree's start at about $17

Overall good place to try. Don't know if it's a regular place though.

Pros: Food, Service

Cons: Price, Location

Posted 08/13/03

the service was awesome ! the owner recommended a dish from his own menu, and it was heavenly- chicken bhosha or something like that.

altho it was a little pricey, it was well worth it, servings were huge. the nan was amazing. mango lassi the best i ever had. sag paneer was an awesome mix of spices. i recommend this place highly.

Pros: good parking, not too crowded, amazing food,romantic

Cons: expensive

Posted 06/15/03

I commend the owners for making all the efforts to make this place into one of the most top rated restaurants in this city. Service is so good that you almost feel that you are at home. Keep up the good work guys. The meal was a complete Dinner and I could not have asked for anything more. A must visit place for all Indian food lovers.

Pros: Service, Food, Ambiance

Cons: Parking, Crowded

Posted 06/06/03

I found this place on Citysearch so I checked it out and it was great!! Great masala dosha!! Great service and the food was great and very reasonably priced! I reccommend this to all my friends now!!

Posted 05/17/03

Im a diabetic, thus I have to watch what I eat, however I didnt think that the food at amma's was oily at all. ACtually I love to food so much, I eat their almost twice a week. I reccommend their tandoori vegetables...absolutely delicious.

Pros: location, service

Posted 04/23/03

I thought it was good, but not all that. I liked the mint paratha to start with, the kachori was also good, but spicy. We had the spinach with chickpeas- too many chickpeas- not enough Spinach (which was the best part!) The rice with fresh vegetables was way too greasy and fried. I like the service and the food presentation. Each entrée came with a side of rice and bread (most places you have order the bread separately), dal (lentils) and fresh vegetable. I like the non-traditional décor and atmosphere. Cute date place and good to meet a group. It is pricey. The veggies dishes start at $17.00!!

Pros: decor, location, good veggies selectio

Cons: oily, pricey

Posted 04/14/03